Media personalities Richard Dela Sky, Berla Mundi, and Serwaa Amihere have emerged as the most abused journalists in Ghana during the third quarter of 2025, according to data from the iWatch Africa’s DisinfoEye platform.
The project, supported by Impact Amplifier, has tracked a total of 502 instances of online abuse and harassment directed at Ghanaian journalists across digital platforms. This trend signals a growing threat to press freedom and democratic dialogue in the country.
Experts warn that increasing abuse in Ghana’s digital space could have a chilling effect on journalism, undermining one of democracy’s core pillars. The survey reveals that journalists covering contentious political, social, and cultural issues are frequently targeted with insults, sexual harassment, and defamation, primarily through social media channels such as X (formerly Twitter) and Facebook.
Key Findings from DisinfoEye’s Monitoring
The third-quarter analysis focused on eight journalists, part of a broader sample of 20 monitored since the project’s inception. Highlights include:
- Types of abuse: Insults comprise 70% (352 cases), sexual harassment 20% (100 cases), and defamation or smear campaigns 10% (50 cases).
- Gender disparity: Female journalists represent about 60% of abuse victims, often suffering additional gendered attacks including body-shaming and sexualized threats.
- Platforms: 80% of abuses occur on X/Twitter, while 20% take place on Facebook.
- High-risk topics: Political commentary accounts for 50% of abuses, followed by cultural issues (30%) and corruption-related reporting (20%).
A 2020 UNESCO report underscored the harsh impact of such harassment, revealing that 31% of journalists tone down their coverage due to online abuse, and 15% abandon stories altogether.
Most Abused Journalists
The DisinfoEye platform ranked the top eight journalists by abuse frequency:
Gendered Abuse and Press Freedom Challenges
DisinfoEye’s data echoes UNESCO’s findings on the extra burden female journalists bear in enduring sexualized harassment that stifles diverse media voices. The platform’s hotline received over 50 reports recently, facilitating counseling and legal support interventions. Smear campaigns tend to surge by 25% during election seasons, with projections indicating a 20% increase by 2026 if unaddressed.
Gideon Sarpong, co-founder of iWatch Africa and a digital rights expert, stressed the importance of collaboration with government bodies and law enforcement to establish support protocols for journalists and effective reporting and moderation frameworks.
He noted:
“The rapid rise of AI-generated deepfakes and synthetic media dramatically intensifies targeted attacks. The journalism community, tech platforms, and policymakers must adopt stronger, coordinated actions including real-time detection, ongoing digital-safety training, and enforceable accountability to combat these new challenges.”
The DisinfoEye initiative has empowered 20 Ghanaian newsrooms with Online Safety Units, trained five monitors for real-time abuse tracking, and reached over 5 million audience members through awareness campaigns.
Journalists experiencing abuse are encouraged to report directly via www.disinfoeye.com or contact [email protected].
This documented evidence from 502 online abuse cases reveals a critical threat to press freedom in Ghana. iWatch Africa continues its commitment to forging a safer digital environment that supports journalists and strengthens democratic governance.
Report by iWatch Africa